Starting the first 12 games of the season, Odunze caught 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns. He sat out a Dec. 7 game in Green Bay due to his injury. He then aggravated it a week later during pre-game warm-ups before the Bears hosted the Browns and has been sidelined ever since.
Odunze’s return would provide a big boost to the Bears offense.
“It’s going to be great,” said quarterback Caleb Williams. “I’m excited to have him back. We were talking a few weeks ago when he went down [in] pregame. [I] texted him after the game and said, ‘I got you, and we’ll get to the playoffs and we’ll handle business when you come back, but I need you back healthy and ready to go.'”
Odunze has worked tirelessly to be ready to play in the Bears’ first playoff game.
“Everything’s been focused on that,” he said. “All my energy, my focus, my attitude has been on that mark … When I got to an understanding with the training staff that this would be my benchmark, I put all my energy and effort into that.”
Like Odunze, receiver DJ Moore (knee) and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo (quad) practiced without restrictions Thursday after being limited Wednesday and were not given injury designations for Saturday night’s wild card showdown.
Moore started all 17 games for the fifth straight season, catching 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns. His biggest reception of the year was a walk-off 46-yard TD from Williams to beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime Dec. 20 at Soldier Field.
Trapilo, a rookie second-round pick from Boston College, returns after sitting out last Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Lions.
In other injury news, defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson have all been ruled out of Saturday night’s game due to concussions.
Nickel back Kyler Gordon (groin) and offensive tackle Braxton Jones (knee) both were full participants in Thursday’s practice, but they are listed as questionable and must be activated from injured reserve to play against the Packers.
